Fuse for shells



H. E. NASH FUSE FOR sHELLs March 6, 1934.

Filed March 22, 1932 nua. nluluul 1 l. VU ANU EXPLOSIVE DEVICES Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES Search niet PATENT OFFICE FUSE FOR SHELLS Henry E. Nash, Wilmington, Del., assignor to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 22,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in fuses for shells such, for example, as high explosive shrapnel, etc. and is more particularly advantageous for use in connection with shells to be directed against aircraft.

Heretofore the shells, usually shrapnel, directed against aircraft have conformed in construction to shells of similar caliber used for general purposes and, in particular, the time fuse has conformed to usual practice.

Shells directed at aircraft, as is well known, travel to high altitudes and the fuse is timed to explode the shell at a high altitude.

It has been found that shells equipped with fuses of usual composition do not properly function when fired into high altitudes, more particularly in that it is impossible to set the fuse to explode the shell at the desired time or position due to variations in the burning rate of the powder trains under varying atmospheric pressure conditions met with in the travel of the shell from the point of firing to the desired point of exploding at high altitude.

Heretofore the fuses for shells have been universally constructed with a vent to permit the escape of gases evolved in the burning of the powder trains. Where the vent is present, the powder train during burning is subjected to decreasing pressure and hence to a decreased rate of burning as the shell travels to the point of firing at high altitude and hence, despite the fact that the burning rate of the powder trains in the fuse is known under normal conditions, the variation in the burning rate due to decrease in atmospheric pressure as the shell travels to a high altitude cannot be accurately determined and the fuse cannot be set to explode the shell at a predetermined position.

Now, in accordance with this invention, it has been discovered that if the fuse be so constructed as to protect the powder trains from variation in pressure in the travel of the shell, as for example, by confining the powder trains in a ventless structure and the powder trains are composed of a composition of such a character as not to evolve any substantial amount of gas on burning, the powder trains will burn under substantially constant pressure conditions and hence the fuse may be accurately set, since the burning rate of the powder trains will, of course, be known.

The nature and purpose of this invention having been generally pointed out, a more specic description of a preferred embodiment thereof will now be made with reference to the accom- 1932, Serial No. 600,451

panying drawing in which the gure is a sectional view of a fuse embodying the invention.

In the figure a indicates the body of the fuse, which may be of conventional design and construction. Within the body is formed a chamber in which is placed the usual magazine charge b. c indicates a closing cap, which may be of any desired or usual construction except that the provision of a vent is avoided. d indicates a graduated time train ring, While e indicates a second time train ring. The time train rings are of usual construction and rest upon the body a, being clamped thereto by the closing cap, which is secured to the body by treading on an extension thereof F. The extension F, which is drilled out at its upper end, serves to support a detonator g in connection with which is associated a concussion plunger h and a ring pin i, all as is usual.

Communication is alforded between the percussion cap and powder train y' carried by the time train ring e so that when the percussion cap is fired the powder train i will be ignited. Communication is afforded between the powder train y" carried by the graduated time train ring d. The time train rings are of usual construction, ignition of the train y" being effected from the ring y' and the point of ignition being determined by relative adjustment of the time train rings. The magazine charge is fired from the powder train y" and serves to lire the charge contained in the shell proper.

It will be understood that the body a and the closing cap c are ventless and that when the closing cap is assembled to the body to clamp the time train rings thereto, the powder trains i and :i are protected from change in atmospheric pressure. The usual washers lc, 1c are positioned between the two rings and between the ring and the body. The powder trains y' and y" are composed of a composition which on burning will not evolve any substantial amount of gas. The composition desirably will consist of a mixture of an oxidizing agent and a substance which when burned in the presence of the oxidizing agent will not evolve any substantial amount of gas. More particularly, the composition comprises an oxidizing agent and an element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, the oxidizing agent and element being chosen as such as will not when burned together evolve an substantial amount of gas.

As specic examples, for example, as the oxi dizing agent there may be used barium peroxide,

potassium chlorate, potassium permanganate, 'i110 red lead (PbaOi) or the like and as the element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, for example, sulphur, selenium, or tellurium may be used and if desired, an inert material such as barium oxide, magnesium oxide, or litharge, and the like may be added. It will be understood that the particular element and particular oxidizing agent used will be selected as such as will no evo e any substantial amount of gas on builngiy'fls, for example, the compositioYi-Timomprise barium peroxide and selenium, while such combinations as, for exam-` ple, potassium nitrate and sulphur, which, as is well known, evolve a large amount of gas on burning, will be avoided. The oxidizing agent may be present in the range 50% to 98%, vthe element of the sixth group in the range 2% to 50%, and inert material in the range 1% to 30%.

Where a metallic oxide is used as the oxidizing agent it is preferably used in such excess that a solid salt of the metal and the Oxy-acid radial formed bythe oxidation of the oxidizable element is obtained. For example, using BaOz or Pb3O4 and sulphur, BaSO4 or PbSO4 would result, together, of course, with BaO and PbO.

As one example of a suitable mixture there may be cited one containing 15% selenium and 85% barium peroxide.

As further illustrative of a practical mixture which may be used, it may consist of a mixture of red lead and sulphur in various proportions, for example, 85% to 98% red lead, and 2 to 15% sulphur to which, if desired, may be added an inert material such as litharge, or, otherwise, an active oxidizing material to decrease or increase the burning rate. A specific example may consist of red lead 97.2% and sulphur 2.8%. Selenium and tellurium may be substituted for the sulphur in these mixtures preferably in molecular proportions. In forming the composition, the ingredients may be mixed together, water added to form a paste, and the paste ground in a ball mill and then dried in a current of warm air. The cake formed on drying the paste is broken up and heated at an elevated temperature of about 120 to 130 C. to harden the powder and render it suitable for training, this heating taking place for say one and one-half hours. It will be appreciated that the temperatures and time used in hardening the powder may be widely varied. As an exampleL of a powder containing an inert material, there may be cited a mixture of red lead 91%, sulphur 3% and litharge 6%. The read lead and sulphur composition will on burning produce a minimum of gas and at the same time will have the advantages of substantial resistance to moisture and a xed well-dened burning rate. The evolution of gases is avoided inasmuch as the resulting products consist mainly of lead oxide and lead sulphate.

It will now be understood that this invention involves the use for the powder trains in a fuse of a composition containing ingredients which will not evolve any substantial amount of gas on burning and, at the same time, the fuse being so constructed as to protect the powder trains from variation in atmospheric pressure. It will be understood that this invention is applicable to fuses of various construction other than that shown and described herein by way of illustration.

This application is in part a continuation of my application, Serial No. 554,391, i'iled August 1, 1931. The composition is not claimed herein inasmuch as it forms the' subject matter of an application Serial No. 554,391, led August 1, 1931.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of an oxidizing agent and an element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, the oxidizing agent and element being chosen as such as will not when burned together evolve any substantial amount of gas and said powder train being protected from variations in atmospheric pressure.

2. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring; a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train'ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of Ybariumperoxide and an element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, the element being chosen as such as will not when burned with barium peroxide evolve any substantial amount of gas and said powder train being protected from variation in atmospheric pressure.

3. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of barium peroxide and selenium, and being protected from variation in atmospheric pressure.

4. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of an oxidizing agent, including a metallic oxide, and an element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, the oxidizing agent and element being chosen as such as will not when burned together evolve any substantial 120 amount of gas and said powder train being protected from variations in atmospheric pressure.

V 5. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of red lead and an element of the right hand column of group VI of the periodic system, the element being chosen as such as will not when burned with barium peroxide evolve any substantial amount of gas and said powder train being protected from variation in atmospheric pressure.

6. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train 135 ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of red lead and sulphur, and being protected from variation in atmospheric pressure.

'7. A fuse for shells including, in combination, a body, a magazine charge therein, a time train ring, a closing cap, a powder train carried by the time train ring and adapted to ignite the magazine charge, said powder train comprising a mixture of red lead in about the range 85 %-98%, and sulphur in about the range 2%-15%, and being protected from variation in atmospheric pressure. 

